The same council majority that twice rejected a state-sponsored recovery plan also voted to hire a Philadelphia-area lawyer to fight the takeover and to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy as soon as possible, The Patriot-News reports this morning. The state Senate could act on a takeover bill as soon as next week, sending it to Gov. Tom Corbett for his signature.

Hours Before The U.S. Senate ... ... shot it down, President Barack Obama was in Pittsburgh yesterday, where he acknowledged that lawmakers might have to break up his jobs bill and pass it piecemeal, the Tribune-Review reports this morning. Obama deployed several surrogates to the Steel City before his speech at Local 5 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on the city's South Side. He pitched the $447 billion package as a road back to employment for construction workers and teachers and challenged his opponents to justify their criticisms of the bill, the newspaper reported. "This is gut-check time," Obama told the crowd."Any senator who votes 'no' should have to look you in the eye and tell you exactly what they're opposed to. ... I think they'd have a hard time explaining why they voted 'no' on this bill, other than that I proposed it." That'll happen this morning -- the Senate shot down the jobs bill, effectively shelving it, the Trib reported.

So This Is Pretty Cool. Our pal, Scott Detrow, of StateImpactPa has put together an interactive map showing how counties would benefit (or not) if the Corbett administration's impact fee for gas drillers was in place right now - at this very minute. On average, counties would receive about $682,000 from the fee, Detrow reports.

The So-Called "Computergate" Scheme ... ... was very nearly revealed in 2004, five years before its principals were charged in connection with it, The Patriot-News reports this morning. A hasty cover-up prevented exposure, Eric Ruth, a nephew of former House Speaker John M. Perzel testified in Dauphin County Court yesterday as the trial entered its third week. The bulk of Ruth’s testimony focused on a misdirected invoice from GCR & Associates, a technology firm the state attorney general’s office claims was paid with state funds for political work, the PN reported. Ruth, who has pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme, is cooperating with state prosecutors.

A Bill Imposing Strict New Rules ... ... on abortion clinics is stuck in park for the near future, but supporters say you shouldn't count it out just yet, Capitolwire reports this morning. House and Senate Republicans say they're working to get agreement on language that can pass both chambers. The bill would hold the clinics to the same standards as out-patient surgery centers. Critics say that could force many clinics to close their doors, denying women access to a legal medical procedure. Proponents say they're trying to avoid a repeat of the chamber of horrors discovered in a now-shuttered clinic in West Philadelphia.

Support Your Right To Arm Bears. Just because there's a wild animal on your property, you don't have the right to blast it out of existence, the PA Game Commission said yesterday, reminding folks of what should be thunderingly obvious. The agency's advice comes in the wake of a bear attack in Perry County and a sighting in Cumberland County, WHP-TV in Harrisburg reports. “If a bear is just on your property, you do not have the right to kill it,” spokesman Jerry Feaser said. This has much to do with the fact that purposely killing a bear or other wildlife is against the law unless you're being attacked or are about to be attacked. And, yes, hunting season is an entirely different matter. “If the bear is causing you a physical threat that you feel you are in imminent danger, again that would give you some more leeway,” Feaser said.

You Say It's Your Birthday Dept. Greetings go out this morning to reader David Eigenrauch. Congratulations.

On The Capitol Ideas iPod This Morning. It's kind of rainy and gross here in Harrisburg. And we find ourselves craving some musical comfort food. Here's the legendary Mitch Easter with "In Little Ways."